Hillebrand helps address needs of farming communities
Beverage forwarder
JF Hillebrand
has taken its
commitment to
the wine industry beyond
logistics.
The company has
for the past ten years
been involved with the
Pebbles Foundation, a
non-profit organisation
that establishes and
manages early childhood
development facilities and
after-school provision
for children living in
farm communities in the
Western Cape.
But, says Charmaine
Gola, Pebbles fundraising
and PR coordinator, it is
not just the funding that
makes a huge difference
to the organisation; it is
the involvement of the JF
Hillebrand staff that is of
equal importance.
“The staff has done
everything from
volunteering at our end-ofyear
party for the children
to making sandwiches and
soup for the families,” she
says. “They give of their
time and that makes a
huge difference in the lives
of these children.”
Jackie Chippendale, JF
Hillebrand HR manager,
says their involvement
with Pebbles is really an
extension of their business.
“Initially Pebbles
started out addressing
the needs of children
affected by Foetal Alcohol
Syndrome and that really
hit home,” she explains.
“Taking our business
into consideration, since
we are highly devoted to
skills development in our
industry and the economy
at large, we are very aware
that the adults we employ
today start their cognitive
development as children,
in fact before then. So
it has always been our
passion to develop skills
within the wine industry
but it needed to start
somewhere.”
“Pebbles is the one
project the company
immediately identified
with and the staff love
being involved.
“We use every
opportunity to visit
Pebbles. Our staff is
extremely passionate
about the project and the
work that the organisation
does.”
According to Gola the
continued investment
in Pebbles by companies
such as JF Hillebrand has
allowed the non-profit
organisation to develop.
Today it supports
several centres in farm
communities in the
Western Cape ensuring
that more than 1000
children are given
quality early childhood
development and
education.
“We maintain a focus
on disadvantaged children
and families and deliver
programmes that target
children as young as three
months right through their
schooling years until they are
ready to be adults actively
contributing to society,”
she says. “We supplement
the inclusive education
programme with a nutrition
programme coupled with
health and social services
through a clinic.”
INSERT & CAPTION
It has always been
our passion to
develop skills within
the wine industry.
– Jackie Chippendale
